


Prince Charming and his Idiot

by Kimmy



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: 5+1 Things, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Modern with Magic, Arthur is a sweetheart, Confidence, Fluff, M/M, Magic Revealed, My 100th fic, Self Confidence Issues
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-26
Updated: 2017-07-26
Packaged: 2018-12-07 08:50:58
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 2,530
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11620131
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kimmy/pseuds/Kimmy
Summary: 5 times Merlin wasn't confident, and one time he was just confident enough, thank you very much.





	1. You're the voice

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Not beta'd. Please forgive me all mistakes (and I'm sure there are some, since I'm writing on a different keyboard than usual.
> 
> Hey guys, I'm super excited to present you my 100th fic! It's Merlin, like my first fic was, so it's been kinda a sentimental trip. <3 Enjoy!
> 
> Starting song taken from the well known video of our favourite dorks aka Colin and Bradley.

 

Merlin was going to _kill_ Gwaine.

 

He stood on stage, looking through the songs on screen and desperately trying to remember singing would be less humiliating than getting off the stage now.

 

But pushing Merlin on stage for karoke and then _leaving_? Oh, Merlin didn't care how cute that Elena girl was. Gwaine was going to be dead.

 

He noticed “You're the voice” by John Farnham and smiled, telling the guy to put it on. At least he found something he knew by heart and loved. And it was getting late and there weren't that many people at the club.

 

He may as well enjoy himself.

 

He stood on the stage as the music started, and closed his eyes, confidence trying to run away from him. He forced himself to start and never opened his eyes, just allowed himself to get lost in the magic of music.

 

_This time we call can stand together_

_with the power to be powerful_

 

He opened his eyes, aware there was a huge smile on his face as he finally allowed his voice to ring loud and some guy in front of the scene, _goregous_ blond with bluest eyes was _looking_ at him and singing with him as he jumped to the music and Merlin praised himself for not letting his voice waver.

 

_You're the voice try and understand it_

_Make a noise and make it clear!_

 

He finished and on shaking legs got off the scene to some clapping, turning to hide in a more secluded corridor next to the bar, but before he could run away, he was stopped by a beautiful body blocking his way.

 

“Hey, that was amazing, man! I love Farnham and you rocked it.”

 

It was the hot blond who sang with Merlin and Merlin bit his lip, wondering where all the confidence he almost had at that stage had gone.

 

“Erm, thanks.”

 

He chocked out, not looking into the guy's eyes.

 

“I'm Arthur. You're here with someone?”

 

Oh dear Goddess, how did people do it? Just being so open and just asking people things without stammering and... Merlin looked up into the guy's beautiful face and tried not to drown in his eyes.

 

“I... No. No, my friend just ditched me so. I don't think so. I'm Merlin, by the way.”

 

He laughed nervously but Arthur chuckled too, so it was fine, right? Damn, was Merlin being flirted with and flirting back? How was it real?

 

“You wouldn't happen to be gay, would you, Merlin?”

 

Merlin felt himself blush.

 

“Em, no...” He saw the guy's face fall and rushed to correct himself. “I mean, I'm not gay, but I'm pan and oh my goddess, are you trying to ask me out?” Shit, Merlin' rambling mode was on and he had no idea how to turn it off. “Because damn, I'd be so down for it, but holy shit, how, I mean you... Look at you, you're the Prince Charming and I'm... Cinderella.”

 

He shut himself up but Arthur seemed amused rather than annoyed as he leaned in and whispered into Merlin's ear.

 

“Well, then would you dance with me and give me your number before midnight takes you away, my Princess?”

 

 _Shit, I'm in_ such _trouble_ , he thought as Arthur's lips connected with his, _but he really never wanted it to end._

 

 


	2. I love you

 

Merlin had _no bloody idea_ how did he ever manage to score a guy like Arthur Pendragon but there wasn't a day he wasn't thankful for it, he thought as he opened the door to his boyfriend and greeted him with a quick kiss.

 

“Hungry, Princess? I've got pizza.”

 

“Pizza? I'm always hungry if it's pizza.”

 

“You're always hungry, period. I don't get how can you eat so much and say your tiny lanky self.”

 

Merlin huffed, worming his way under Athur's shoulder on the sofa.

 

“Lies and slander. Stop that and feed me pizza.”

 

He grateully took a bite off the slice Arthur took for himself and allowed himself to relax into the warm embrace of his boyfriend. He's never felt this at peace before, wih Arthur and pizza.

 

Arthur mostly, but the fact he brought pizza only made Merlin love him more.

 

“Goddess, I love you.”

 

Merlin sighed, taking another bite, before almost choking as his words sunk in. He shot up, sitting a bit further, ready to bolt if Arthur's hand didn't stop him.

 

“I... I didn't...” He had no idea what to say, tying to focus on the sofa's pattern instead of the tingling of Arthur's hand on his arm. He saw Arthur wiped his other hand, greasy from pizza, on his jeans, before he brought it to Merlin's chin and gently forced him to look up at him.

 

“You didn't what? You didn't mean it? Then why would you say it?”

 

Bravely remembering all Arthur's kind lessons of confidence, Merlin met his boyfriend's eyes and spoke quietly, but clearly.

 

“No. No, I _did_ mean it.”

 

Arthur smiled at that and leaned in for a long and chaste kiss that tasted of pepperoni and love.

 

“Good. Because I love you too. I mean it.”

 

 

 


	3. The Dinner

Merlin was never a very confident person. Besides the obvious fact he wasn't very social for... reasons, realising he was pansexual and being a walking definition ofeverything nerdy and geeky, which altogether didn't really make perfect conditions to work on self-confidence, Merlin simply wasn't that much.

 

He didn't have too many talents, he wasn't overly smart despite his good grades, he wasn't an artist and he didn't really excel at anything that wasn't reading books and watching TV shows while being way too emotionally invested.

 

Well, he was good at magic, but that wasn't something he could make a career of... or share with anyone, for that matter, so he didn't think that counted. And well, he guessed he was a passable writer, but he never managed to branch outside fanfiction and do something original, so it was no use.

 

So Merlin was never very confident in his abilities overall, because how could he, when there were no real abilities?

 

And cooking was something else Merlin wasn't very good at. He could make himself dinner that wasn't burnt and even tasted good but he was no chef and often chose to order online instead.

 

But then he met Arthur and Arthur loved cooking and he taught Merlin a few things and so when he invited Arthur _and_ his mother over so they could meet... he just wanted to cook dinner for them.

 

But he really wasn't sure it was a good idea...

 

He wasn't a bad cook, maybe, but he wasn't a good cook either. And as he stirred the tomato sauce on the stove, he suddely wasn't sure anymore if a home cooked meal was a good idea.

 

It was just pasta, after all, and pasta wasn't a very impressive meal.

 

He sighed, but there was no time to change his mind and order something instead as the doorbell rang.

 

He took off the apron and smiled as he opened the door, only to open his eyes wide in surprise when he found _both_ Arthur and his mother there... together.

 

“Mom, Arthur, lovely to see you.” He hugged his mother and kissed Arthur on the cheek, trying not let his panic show. “How in sync you appear!”

 

He joked, and Arthur's knowing smirk wa enough to know his boyfriend saw right through him.

 

“We run into each other on the street, honey.” His mom said, as if it was nothing. “Lovely man you got yourself there, Merlin.”

 

And well, at least they agreed on _that_.

 

And in the end, both Hunith and Arthur loved the pasta.

 

 


	4. The Reveal

Merlin loved Arthur.

 

And Arthur loved Merlin and Merlin knew that. He knew they both loved each other and they were both in it for the long haul. Merlin wanted to spend all his life with Arthur. But that meant a next step. That meant giving themseves fully to each other, breaking the last barriers between them, learning what was left to learn of each other.

 

It could have been the new beginning.

 

Or an end.

 

It would mean a promise, of being one instead of two, it would mean complete honesty. It would mean there's nothing left to hide.

 

It would mean Merlin had to tell Arthur.

 

And Merlin was terrified of what Arthur would do, once he found out. Merlin was terrified Arthur would leave him. Or worse, wouldn't believe him. That once Merlin has proven it to be true, Arthur would be afraid of him. That he would be angry. That he would be hurt.

 

But he also knew he had to tell Arthur.

 

If he really wanted to keep Arthur forever, then Arthur had to know.

 

That's how Merlin ended up where he was, sitting at the sofa and eating a box of noodles in a very tense and awkward atmosphere.

 

“Okay, what is it? You're tense, something's going on.”

 

“I have magic.” He didn't mean to do it like that. Didn't mean to just blurt it out, without preparing Arthur, without looking at him, without thinking.

 

He froze, terrified of what he had done and of the silence around him until Arthur was the one to move, taking the box of noodles and chopsticks from his hands and putting them on the table, taking Merlin's face in his hands and wiping off tears Merlin didn't know had fallen.

 

“Merlin, my dearest, beloved idiot, _breathe._ ”

 

He took a shaky inhale, relaxing into Arthur's touch and letting himself be embraced and allowing more tears to fall.

 

“I'm sorry. I was born like that, and I know I should have told you but magic isn't supposed to exist and I had no idea what you would do and I love you so damn much and I just really really didn't want you to leave me...”

 

Arthur shushed him, fingers running through his hair.

 

“It's okay, Merlin. I get it. I really do. I know about magic, Morgana's magical.”

 

“What?” Merlin squeaked into Arthur's shoulder. He really expected a lot of diffrent outcomes, but not this one. “Morgana as in your french cousin-turned-half-sister Morgana?!”

 

“The very one. I've known since she was 5 and she was learning to control it when it first manifested. So it's fine, Princess. No one is leaving anyone. Only proves my boyfriend is even more extraordinary than I thought.”

 

Really, Merlin had no idea how he did it, but somehow he hit a love-life-jackpot.

 

 


	5. Moving In

 

When they first met, Merlin got a rich, spoiled guy vibe from Arthur.

 

He couln't have been more wrong.

 

He thought he could never deserve Arthur because Arthur would be that trust fund baby who has way too much money, ridiculously engorged ego an is loved by everyone for being beautiful, smart and polite despite their wealth.

 

But although Arthur was a Pendragon, coming from a family of money and business, he was nothing like that.

 

Sure, he was cocky, and arrogant at times and as sassy as Merlin, but his tough exterior was often just a shell, an armour, that hid the real Arthur. The real Arthur that was still open and outgoing and positive and loved people, but who was also vulnerable, determined and easily hurt.

 

Arthur grew up with a lot of money, and a lot of expectations. He worked hard to be the best at maths because that was what his father wanted, despite the fact he really wanted to be a political jounalist.

 

But then, at 17, Arthur decided that enough was enough. He came out. He told his father that he was gay _and_ that he didn't want to be a businessman.

 

And promptly got kicked out and disinherited.

 

He stayed with his older cousin Leon until he found a job and managed to rent his own room with an old lady who needed some company more than money, a tiny bedroom with a bathroom of its own, but shared kitchen.

 

And even though he finally got his degree and was even publishing his articles from time to time, Arthur still worked as a shop assistant to be able to afford his rent and never moved into a bigger space.

 

Merlin suspected it was half because of the money, but half because of Audrey, the woman who rented him the flat.

 

So Merlin wasn't sure if it was time, not really.

 

But they loved each other and they said it and Arthur knew his mother and Merlin knew Morgana and he told Arthur about the magic and it would be okay to at least ask, right?

 

“Wouldyoumoveinwithme?”

 

Arthur swallowed and turned to Merlin with an unimpressed look.

 

“We're not 5 anymore, Merlin. We're in a healthy, loving relationship that is based on communication. And by that I mean, there's nothing to be scared of. Please speak without you mouth full and in full sentences. Slowly.”

 

“Would you...”

 

Merlin bit his lip, suddenly losing what little confidence he had.

 

“Yes, Merlin? Would I...?”

 

“Would you like to move in with me?” He finally blurted out and anxiously watched Arthur's reaction.

 

He wasn't sure what to expect really, but it surely wasn't seeing Arthur Pendragon speechless for the first time in the three years of their relationship.

 

“Arthur? Arthur, you're scaring me. Are you there?”

 

He waved his hand in front of Arthur's face, finally getting his boyfriend out of the trance.

 

“Move in? Here? With you?”

 

Merlin wondered if he should feel offended but Arthur's voice was more awed and surprised than indignant.

 

“You mean you would want me here? For good?”

 

Arthur's eyes were so full of hope and disbelief it broke Merlin's heart.

 

“Of course I do, you prat! Why wouldn't I? I've wanted you here for a while, I'm in this for good. So... do _you_ want that?”

 

And Arthur looked horribly sheepish as he couldn't surpress his grin when he replied.

 

“More than anything, Merlin.”

 

 


	6. Forever

 

Merlin was never a very confident person. He wasn't social, he didn't think much of himself, and often doubted if he deserved what he got.

 

But then he got Arthur and Arthur made sure to make Merlin believe he deserved _everything_.

 

That he deserved _Arthur_.

 

And in the end, Merlin believed it. Merlin believed that he deserved Arthur, and that he was what Arthur deserved. Because if there was one thing in his life Merin was absolutely and completely sure of, it was that Arthur deserved the world, that he deserved to be cherished and loved uncoditionally.

 

And if there was anything Merlin never doubted about himself, it was that he loved Arthur unconditionally.

 

Merlin was never a very confident person, no.

 

But when he went down on one knee in the same club that he met Arthur in, in front of a crowd and with John Farnham playing in the background, he felt completely at peace and without a doubt.

 

When he asked, his voice didn't waver.

 

“Arthur, the most bautiful prat I ever met, love of my life, will you marry me?”

 

And for once, Merlin was confident in himself and in Arthur's answer, whispered through tears but loud and clear.

 

“Yes, you idiot.”

 

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you liked it, remember to leave a comment if you did ;) And soon I'll be back with more Malec. I love Merlin but I missed my favourite shadowhunter and warlock writing this.


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